


Soulmate Issues

by sunkelles



Series: the truth of it [1]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Minor Birdflash, Snaibsel, Snaibsel Week 2016, Sportsmaster the awful husband and father, minor supermartian, you can't lie to your soulmate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 07:27:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8657992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunkelles/pseuds/sunkelles
Summary: Most kids fantasize about meeting their soulmates. They dream of the day that they will meet that person they can’t lie to, the one that makes up the “other half of their heart”. They can’t wait to have that sort of bond with someone. Artemis dreads it. She always has, and she thinks that she always will. She doesn’t want anyone to have that sort of power over her, like her father has over her mother.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this was started for snaibsel week and i promised that i'd finish it. i'm a woman of my word. also, my thanksgiving break has been so productive for fic writing? like i finished this fic, and then a chapter of a fic i've neglected for months and then i wrote two other fics. someone applaud me i have been Productive. 
> 
> also a lot of dialog is taken verbatim from episodes. that is all

Most kids fantasize about meeting their soulmates. They dream of the day that they will meet that person they can’t lie to, the one that makes up the “other half of their heart”. They can’t wait to have that sort of bond with someone. Artemis dreads it. She always has, and she thinks that she always will. She doesn’t want anyone to have that sort of power over her, like her father has over her mother.

The soulmate bond makes it impossible to lie to your soulmate, and that works for most couples. It creates a healthy, open environment where two people can grow to know and love each other. It also creates an easy avenue for abuse, though, and Artemis’s father has taken full advantage of that for the entire course of Artemis’s life.

When she joins a team of superheroes, she doesn’t expect a whole lot of romantic drama. She didn’t really think that "super" would apply to the drama too. There are only six people on the Team, and they're all _teenagers_. Four of them can’t lie to each other, and four of them have superpowers. 

 

Those are some crazy statistics. Most people haven’t found their soulmate by their teens, but two thirds of them have. Kid Flash and Robin are one of the pairs, which is funny, because Kid Flash “call me Wally” is the most open person on the Team, and Robin is as secretive as she is. She knew that they were soulmates the first time that she talked to them. She could tell by the way they talk to each other, insistently adding “that you’re comfortable saying” or “that you want to tell us” to any direct question they ask each other.

The harder part is figuring out if they’re a couple or not. Many people never enter relationships with their soulmates out of fear of having a life partner who has that sort of power over them, which Artemis understands, completely. Robin and Kid Flash don’t seem like that, though. They’re incredibly close, and they spend a ton of time together. They seem like they’re dating sometimes, but then Kid Flash turns around and flirts with everyone but Robin. _Everyone_

He flirts with Kaldur, who is the Team leader and obviously uncomfortable with it. He flirts with Black Canary, and with Red Arrow, and with Green Arrow, and with Conner and M’gann and even Artemis herself, who rolls her eyes and insults him until he might finally get the hint that she’s not interested. He even tried to flirt with Red Tornado once. That was pretty funny actually, because Red Tornado doesn’t understand human interaction. But honestly, the only people that he hasn’t flirted with are Flash (who Artemis thinks he’s related to) Robin, and Batman (who seems like he’s Robin’s dad). The point is, Artemis can't tell if Robin and Kid Flash are together or not and at this point she has stopped trying. 

  
She can’t tell if M’gann and Conner are dating either, but she can tell that they’re soulmates too. They aren’t as careful about their wording, but they often blurt out inappropriate, and blunt things in response to questions that the other one asked them. People who don’t have to tell each other the truth don’t do that.

It’s weird that four out of the six people on the Team are soulmates, but the dynamic works pretty well.

 

Then Zatanna Zatara comes. Her presence changes things, but for the better. Artemis wasn’t lying when she said, “she’s gonna fit in great.” It was the whole truth, even a bit more than she’d meant to say. Zatanna fit in great the moment that she came, and it only got better. Zatanna Zatara is a likable, skilled girl, and she’s kind of magnetic. Artemis just likes being around her.

 

Halloween rolls around, and Artemis is excited for the party M’gann invited them to. She even puts on a costume for it, which she hasn't done since she was ten. She zetas over as quickly as she can, and she gets to the Cave at the same time as Zatanna. 

“Oh hey Zatanna. You look great,” Artemis says. She hadn’t really meant to say anything, but it’s true and Artemis doesn’t worry about it much.

“Oh thanks, you too,” Zatanna says, smiling over at her. Artemis feels her heart do a somersault. _Something_ happens with Captain Marvel, and he storms off, claiming that he’s going trick-or-treating.

“So, how long have Conner and Megan been a couple?” Zatanna asks. Artemis starts laughing.

“Couple? No, they’re not a-” Artemis says. Then M’gann adjusts a piece of toilet paper on Conner’s upper arm, and they share a smile that isn’t platonic at all. Artemis almost lets out a growl, and turns around to leave in a huff. She hadn’t really wanted to _date_ either of them, she just- she always thinks that it’s comforting when there are soulmate pairs that aren’t together. It feels like betrayal to see them together like this. Zatanna follows her quickly, and sends her a sympathetic look.

“I’m sorry Artemis, I just- it seemed so obvious so obvious,” Zatanna says. Artemis stops abruptly and crosses her arms over her chest.

“Being soulmates doesn’t mean that people are together,” Artemis says. She knows that some kids grow up sheltered. She knows some kids only know of soulmate pairs, and of them being happy together, but she doesn’t know how anyone could get to be a teenager without understanding that that’s not how the whole world works.

“But why wouldn’t someone want to be with their soulmate?” Zatanna asks.

“It gives them power over you,” Artemis says, and it’s the truth. It’s more of the truth than she really wanted to give away.

“Oh,” Zatanna says. Artemis turns around to leave. She doesn’t want to go to the party anymore. She starts towards the zeta tube.

“Wait,” Zatanna says, “I’m sorry. You don’t have to leave. What about the dance?”

“Not interested,” Artemis says, crossing her arms.

“Artemis,” Zatanna says, “I know you were looking forward to this.”

“Well, yeah,” Artemis says, “sitting at home with my mom doesn’t sound more appealing.” Zatanna says something, and suddenly they are both in their costumes.

“There is another option,” Zatanna says, grinning. She casts a spell, and suddenly they’re both in their uniforms.

“Girls night out,” Zatanna suggests. Artemis feels a grin spread across her face.

 

Then it kind of backfires. Or, at least, things don’t go as Artemis had planned. They almost die, and they meet a ghost who was murdered by her brother. It’s certainly _memorable,_ but there’s a part of her that wishes she’d just sucked it up and gone to the dance.

Greta Hayes is still fresh in her mind, and everything that Harm did burns a hole in her heart. It makes her feel ill.

“I still can’t believe that anyone could do that to his own sister,” Artemis says, “if my-” She cuts herself off just in time.

“Your what?” Zatanna asks.

“My sister,” she says, to her own horror. She didn’t _mean_ to say that. She was going to lie, but the truth came tumbling out anyways.

“You have a sister?” Zatanna asks.

“Yes,” Artemis says, cursing herself,

“Artemis,” she says, “talk to me. Secrets don’t stay buried, obviously. It’s better to bring them into the light.”

“Please,” Artemis says, “not right now. I don’t- I don’t think I can lie to you.” Zatanna’s face lights up.

“Wait,” Zatanna says, “you think we’re soulmates?”

“Yes,” Artemis says. She doesn’t sound excited, and Zatanna can tell.

“You don’t want to be soulmates,” Zatanna says. She doesn’t phrase it like a question, and Artemis doesn’t answer it. She sighs.

“Ask me something,” Zatanna says, sounding a little disappointed, “I want to know for myself.”

“What do you think about me, really?” Artemis asks.

“I think that you’re awesome,” Zatanna says, “and super hot and cool, and I want to be _your_ soulmate.” Artemis can hear the “unlike you” implicit in the phrasing.

“”Um,” Zatanna says, a slight blush on her cheeks, “yeah. I think we _are_ soulmates.”

“Yeah,” Artemis says awkwardly.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Zatanna asks, “whatever it is you’ve been avoiding?”

“No,” Artemis says. She hadn’t even tried to lie on that one. Zatanna’s face falls. Then, they don’t talk about it.

 

They keep not talking about it for days and days, and days and days. It becomes pretty obvious that they’re never going to talk about it, and it’s possible they will never talk to each other at all.

 

Artemis goes to the Cave that morning, and it seems like a normal day. Except of course, that Zatanna is there. Artemis almost does a doubletake, but stops herself. She doesn’t want to look too shocked to see Zatanna, or make her think Artemis doesn’t want her to be there. At least, anymore than Zatanna already thinks Artemis doesn’t want her there.

 

Zatanna is talking to Robin, and Artemis feels like her heart’s being ripped out. Zatanna always used to come over to her, but Artemis made it clear that she didn’t want to talk to her. In Zatanna’s eyes, she probably made it clear that she didn’t want to be her soulmate at all.

Artemis doesn’t even know if that’s true. It’s just so hard _._ Artemis does want to be around Zatanna, it just makes her feel so nervous, so _uncomfortable._ Watching her parents’ trainwreck of a relationship really fucked up her perception of soulmates.

 

The day goes from bad to worse to awful to slightly okay. At least, it’s slightly okay for her. It stays at awful for Zatanna. Things are going to be awful for Zatanna for a long time now. Artemis lets a few days pass before she tries to talk to Zatanna about it. She doesn’t know if it’s because she’s being considerate, or because she’s a little bit afraid. Either way, she lets it happen.

She knocks on Zatanna’s door.

 

“Artemis?” Zatanna asks.

“Hey Zatanna,” she says.

“I, um,” Zatanna says, “i wasn’t expecting to see you.” It’s the truth, Artemis knows. Zatanna can’t lie to her.

“I wanted to talk about what happened,” Artemis says. Zatanna’s look hardens.

“You know,” she says, “i don’t want to talk anymore.” She goes to shut the door, and Artemis catches it with her arm.

“Please,” Artemis says, “talk to me. Remember what you said about burying secrets?” Zatanna doesn’t go to close the door this time, instead she glares. Artemis thinks her eyes look a little wet.

“You don’t get to do this,” Zatanna says, anger building, “you don’t even want to be my soulmate.” The words hurt, because Artemis knows they must be the truth as Zatanna sees it. Zatanna can’t lie to her anymore than Artemis can lie to her.

“I’m just afraid, Zee,” Artemis says, “I _do_ want to be your soulmate, it’s just-” Explanations of her past and her issues are about to pour out of her mouth. Artemis isn’t sure if she’s grateful or not that Zatanna cuts her off.

“Get out,” Zatanna tells her. Artemis does.

 

They don’t talk. And they don’t talk some more, and eventually, it seems like the whole team isn’t talking to Artemis. They probably heard what happened, and took Zatanna’s side. Artemis can’t even _blame_ them for that. She came across as such an asshole.

 

She finds herself fighting off both her sister and her father, and trying to keep her secrets intact. It all blows up in her face.

 

Artemis is afraid of having a soulmate, but she’s also afraid of losing the one that she does have. She’s afraid of the Team finding out about her family, but she’s also afraid that she’s losing them anyways.

 

After today’s mission, where she had to mess so much up to keep her secret, she thinks that she’s in deeper shit than ever.

 

Her fucking father is in her room when she gets home, sitting on her bed.

“Sh,” he says, putting his fucking finger over his mouth, “we wouldn’t want to upset your mother.” She draws an arrow immediately.

“What are you doing here?” she growls.

He takes off the mask as he says, “just curious to hear how your little “Team” took their defeat.”  

“We didn’t lose,” Artemis lies. Her father laughs gruffly.

“We both know you did,” he says, “they blamed you, didn’t they?” Artemis doesn’t respond to that, and he takes it as the confirmation that it is.

“You know, they don’t really care about you. Even your soulmate doesn’t want you, baby girl,” he says.

“How do you know that?” Artemis demands. She hopes it sounds more like “why would you think that” than “how do you know that fact”?

“A father knows things,” Sportsmaster says, “isn’t it better that way anyway? I know how you felt about your mother and I.” She can see herself on his lap, listening to stories about how Sportsmaster and Huntress escaped from the Big Bad Batman again. She can hear herself laughing, asking him to keep telling stories much past her bedtime.

But she can still hear him demanding information from her mother too, everything from bank account numbers to passwords to the school that Artemis was attending. Artemis remembers her mother having to frantically change everything every few months because her father ripped the information out of her fingers, and Artemis can never do anything but despise him.

“It’s because you abused your bond,” she says. She has so many issues because her dad’s a piece of shit. Sportsmaster shrugs.

“If god didn’t want people abusing the system, he wouldn’ta made soulmates.”

“You gave me soulmate issues because you’re an abusive piece of shit,” she says.

“Hey now,” he says, slimy smirk on his face, “don’t blame me. You woulda ended up messed up with or without me.” Artemis clenches her fists in anger, but she doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t know if his words are true or not. She’ll never know how she would have ended up without him. He grabs her chin, and forces her to look into his eyes.

“Think about it, baby girl,” he says, “they’ll never want you. You’ll _never_ be one of them.” He leaves, then, slips out the window and doesn’t say anything. He’s said all that he needs to, and he wants to let the words fester inside of her soul. Artemis sits on her bed, and throws her head into her hands as the tears start to fall.

 

A few weeks pass, and Artemis feels more closed off from everyone than ever. She knows that she's letting her dad's words get to her. She knows that she shouldn't, but it's just so hard not to believe it. 

 

The Team's unfinished business catches up with them, and so does Cheshire. She saves her, which wow, Artemis appreciates more than she should, more than she wants to. It's the only thing that makes her consider her dad's offer to join him in Santa Prisca, even for a fleeting moment. When they get back to the Cave, things get kind of crazy. Superboy admits that he’s Lex Luthor’s son, and that he’s been suppressing his human DNA to get full Kryptonian powers.

“Ah, listen,” Artemis says, “Superboy’s not the only one suffering from bad DNA.” The words almost hurt to force out, but Artemis does it anyway. They need to know eventually, and this is the time to do it. She pulls up pictures of her family members on the holo-projector. 

“My mother is Huntress, an ex con,” she says, “The rest of my family aren’t even ex. My dad’s _Sportsmaster_. And he’s sending my sister, Cheshire to fly me to Santa Prisca too.” Zatanna meets her eyes, and Artemis can see thoughts about Halloween flashing through her mind.

“That’s why-”

“Yes. I was so desperate to make sure none of you found out.” Artemis feels so embarrassed about that now. She pushed everyone away, even her soulmate, because she was so afraid of anyone finding out the truth. She was terrified of anyone having power over her.

“I knew,” Robin says, and Artemis can feel her face contort in face, “hey, I’m a detective. But it never mattered. You aren’t your family. You’re one of us.” The rest of the Team nods in agreement, and Artemis feels more at home than she ever has in her life.

 

She flies to Santa Prisca with her blood relatives, and stabs them in the back the moment that she can. They find out crucial information, and Batman doesn’t even get mad at them for the plethora of rules that they broke.

 

The next day, all of hell breaks lose. The league gets mind controlled, the Team has to fight them, and it turns out that Red Arrow is the mole and a clone, who knew right? Artemis definitely didn’t see that coming.

The day is saved, or as saved as it’s going to get. Midnight strikes, and a new year begins. Conner and M’gann are kissing, then suddenly Robin’s in Wally’s arms and they’re kissing. Raquel kisses Kaldur on the cheek and Artemis and Zatanna are left the only ones not kissing. Judging by the look on Zatanna’s face, they won’t be kissing any time soon.

“We need to talk, Artemis,” Zatanna says. She seems less defensive, but she’s still cautious. She’s testing the waters. Artemis wants to make sure she knows that it’s safe.

“Yeah, definitely,” Artemis says, “let’s talk.” They walk over to a different part of the Watchtower, one with a few couches and no one lurking around to tell everything to the rest of the Team.

“Alright,” Zatanna says, “talk.” Zatanna says. She crosses her arms, and doesn’t look entirely receptive. Artemis hopes that she can change that.

“I’m so sorry for how I treated you,” Artemis says, “I was just so scared of what might happen. I was scared of anyone knowing about my family, and I was so scared of having a soulmate. But I’m not now, not about any of it.” She takes a deep breath. She's not really sure if she wants to add this last part, and she doesn't have to. Zatanna didn't ask for specifics, but Artemis  _wants_ to share. She wants to feel connected to her. 

“You’re not like my dad,” Artemis says.

“That’s why you were so afraid?” Zatanna says, “you thought I’d act like your dad did?” Artemis bites her lip and looks away. She was terrified of it, but not because of anything Zatanna did. Just because her dad fucked her up that much. She was scared of _having_ a soulmate, not the soulmate she ended up having.  
  
“I promise you,” Zatanna says, “I’ll never demand the truth from you Artemis. Never.” Artemis wants to tell her the truth. She doesn’t want to keep secrets from her, but she wants to do it at her own pace on her own terms.

“Wait,” Artemis says, “does this mean you want to be my soulmate?” Artemis asked her a direct question, and Zatanna can't lie to her. She hopes that she's ready for the answer that she'll hear.   
  
“Yes,” Zatanna says, “of _course_ , Artemis. I was just mad. I just lost my dad, and I thought that you didn’t want me to be your soulmate. Can you really blame me?”  
  
“No,” Artemis says, “I can’t.” She's so relieved by the answer that she can't even think about blaming her. 

“Do you want to be mine?” Zatanna asks.

“Yes,” Artemis says, “Zee, I’m so glad that it’s you.” Artemis spent her whole life worrying about who might have the key to her truths. She worried about the type of person they might be, and how they would use the bond they shared against her. But Zatanna is kind and considerate, funny and caring and strong as hell. She’s everything that Artemis would have hoped for, but never dared to. She’s the best case scenario. Zatanna turns her head, and looks at the old analogue clock on the wall. It says that it’s 12:35.

“I know it’s a little late,” Zatanna says, “but will you be my new years kiss?” Artemis smiles, and leans in to kiss her. 

**Author's Note:**

> this is part of a series because HOPEFULLY i'll eventually write a bluepulse companion piece. i make no promises though.


End file.
